Organisations and initiatives creating a low-carbon UK have been named in the Ashden Awards 2021 longlist.
The annual awards celebrate innovation that lowers emissions while creating better lives and fairer societies. Areas covered by this year’s awards include green skills, green communities, and innovation in the UK’s heat and energy networks.
Ashden CEO Harriet Lamb said: “In the year that governments, climate innovators and activists gather at the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow, these inspiring climate champions demonstrate the many solutions that can be replicated at scale and speed.
“The Ashden Awards focus on cutting-edge initiatives that are both green and fair – that deliver climate justice, create good jobs, train people in green skills, and cut carbon.
“This year we have an amazing array of initiatives to choose from and judging is going to be tough! We cannot wait to showcase their outstanding innovations to the world when we announce the winners this autumn.”
The 2021 Ashden Awards longlist (UK categories)
Ashden Award for Green Skills, supported by Garfield Weston Foundation
Carbon Co-op, Greater Manchester – delivering a new end-to-end deep retrofit service – People Powered Retrofit.
Nordic Heat – The Heat Academy is a training platform supporting skills in greener heating and cooling, used nationwide.
Retrofit Academy – creators of an innovative retrofit co-ordinator course, tackling a major gap in the UK’s green skills workforce.
Warmworks Scotland – an agency tackling fuel poverty: they have helped 20,000 homes across Scotland become warmer, healthier and more energy efficient.
Ashden Award for Green Communities, supported by Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
Greener Kirkcaldy – a community-led charity and development trust combating the climate emergency, fuel poverty and food insecurity.
Black & Green Ambassadors, Bristol – Connecting, empowering and celebrating diverse leadership and community action on environmental issues, through year-long ambassadorships.
SCORE Scotland, Edinburgh – The Green Futures Project helps Black and Minority Ethnic and majority communities address the causes and the effects of climate change, with initiatives from cycle lessons to community fridges.
The Welcoming, Edinburgh – helping refugees save money, eat well and take on the climate crisis.
Ashden Award for Climate Innovation in the UK, supported by IMPAX Asset Management
Kensa Group, Lancashire and Yorkshire – a major project to install ground source heat pumps serving social housing.
Library of Things, London – a social enterprise helping people rent useful things like drills, tents and sewing machines in their own neighbourhood.
Riding Sunbeams – feeding renewable energy into the UK rail network.
Renewable Parts, Argyll – refurbishing wind turbine components, reducing waste and boosting the green economy.
Longlists for six international award categories have also been announced. In total, more than 800 organisations applied for this year’s awards. Winners will be announced in November – after a rigorous assessment and judging process involving on-the-ground visits and input from sector experts.
Winners receive a cash prize, development support, and the chance to connect with investors and leading figures in the energy and climate sectors. Since 2001, Ashden has awarded more than 236 ground-breaking organisations.